1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to line-winding spools. More specifically, the present invention relates to spools rotatably mounted via a bearing on the spool shaft in spinning-reels.
2. Background Information
Spinning reels in general are equipped with a reel unit rotatably carrying a handle, a line-guiding rotor mounted rotatably in the reel unit, and a spool around which fishing line guided by the rotor is wound. The spinning-reel spool is shiftable front and back relative to the reel unit and includes: a bobbin trunk around which the fishing line winds; a front flange having a larger outer diameter than the outer diameter of the bobbin trunk and disposed on the front end of the bobbin trunk; and a round cylindrical skirt portion provided at the rear of the bobbin trunk.
With spools of this sort, in order to reduce costs and design for an overall lighter weight spool, it is known to form the bobbin trunk from materials such as synthetic resin. Likewise, in order to improve drag performance it is known to mount the bobbin trunk rotatably on the spool shaft via a bearing. The bearing is fitted in between the spool shaft and the inner-circumferential surface of the bobbin trunk.
With the aforementioned conventional synthetic-resin-manufactured spools carried on the spool shaft via a bearing, the fact that the bobbin trunk is made of plastic, which is comparatively low in strength, risks that when fishing line is wound on powerfully and compressive forces act on the bobbin trunk, the bobbin trunk will compressively deform. A compressively deformed bobbin trunk makes it hard to pull out the bearing fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the bobbin trunk, making it difficult to take out and replace the bearing.
In view of the above, there exists a need for spools which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
An object of the present invention is to make it easier to take out and replace the spool bearing in spinning reels despite effects of compressive force on the bobbin trunk.
A spool in accordance with the first aspect of the invention is mounted rotatably via a bearing on the spool shaft in a spinning-reel, and the spool is furnished with a bearing housing, a bobbin trunk, and front and rear flanges. At least a part of where the bearing housing houses the bearing is made of metal. The bobbin trunk, in which the bearing housing is provided and outer-circumferentially onto which fishing line wraps, is manufactured of a synthetic resin. The front and rear flanges are larger in diameter than, and disposed on the front and rear of, the bobbin trunk.
The bobbin trunk in this spool is made of a synthetic resin in order to reduce its cost and design for lightened weight. Nevertheless, the bearing housing provided in the bobbin trunk is reinforced taking strength into consideration, by making it at least in part of a metal whose strength is higher than that of the synthetic resin. Herein, the fact that the bearing housing is reinforced by making it at least in part of a metal whose strength is higher than that of the synthetic resin means that the bearing housing is not liable to get compressed, and that even should compressive force have an effect on the bobbin trunk, taking out and replacing the spool bearing will be easy.
A spinning-reel spool in accordance with the second aspect of the invention is the spool set forth in the first aspect, further furnished with a skirt extending rearward from the outer circumferential part of the rear flange portion. This is to cover the periphery of the rotor for preventing the fishing line from snarling, even with the diameter of the bobbin trunk being smaller than the diameter of the round cylindrical portion of the rotor.
A spinning-reel spool in accordance with the third aspect of the invention is the spool set forth in the first or second aspect, wherein the bearing housing has a first tubular portion made of metal, in which the bearing is housed. The first tubular portion made of metal reinforces the tubular bobbin trunk.
A spinning-reel spool in accordance with the fourth aspect of the invention is the spool set forth in the third aspect, wherein the bearing housing has a second tubular portion made of a synthetic resin, covering said first tubular portion. With this structure, it is possible to lighten its weight while reducing its cost, compared to manufacturing the bearing housing entirely of metal.
A spinning-reel spool in accordance with the fifth aspect of the invention is the spool set forth in third or fourth aspect, wherein the bearing housing portion includes a circular plate portion formed integrally with the first tubular portion and fixedly coupled to a rear face of the bobbin trunk. In this case, since the first tubular portion and the circular portion are formed integrally, the circular portion can strengthen the first tubular portion and the tubular bobbin trunk at the same time.
A spinning-reel spool in accordance with the sixth aspect of the invention is the spool set forth in the first or second aspect, wherein the bearing housing in its entirety is made of metal. In this case, the strength of the bearing housing is heightened further because it is entirely made of metal.
A spinning-reel spool in accordance with the seventh aspect of the invention is the spool set forth in one of the first through the sixth aspects, wherein at least a part of the bearing housing is formed integrally with the rear flange. In this case, the fact that the metal-manufactured bearing housing and the rear flange are formed integrally enables dual reinforcement of the rear portion of the bobbin trunk
A spinning-reel spool in accordance with the eighth aspect of the invention is the spool set forth in any of the second through seventh aspects, wherein the bobbin trunk where fishing line wraps onto it outer-circumferentially is covered by a sheathing member made of sheet metal. In this case, the fact that the surface of the plastic bobbin trunkxe2x80x94which serves to lighten the weight and reduce costsxe2x80x94is encased by the sheathing member lends the outward appearance the classic feel of metallic luster.
A spinning-reel spool in accordance with the ninth aspect of the invention is the spool set forth in the eighth aspect, wherein the skirt is formed integrally with the sheathing member. In this case, the outward appearance, reaching from the periphery of the bobbin trunk to the prominent skirt, is lent the classic feel of metallic luster.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.